Northern Ireland Faces Judgement on Advice Body
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has received legal advice that NI's system for producing advice on the environmental impacts of developments contravenes EU law. The storey is covered in Planning magazine page 14 of issue 1914.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has received legal advice that NI's system for producing advice on the environmental impacts of developments contravenes EU law.
Currently, the DoE both draws up and provides advice to itself on the environmental impacts of plans. ECJ advocate general Yves Bot has urged the court to rule that this is an inappropriate situation.
His advice came after the ECJ was asked by Seaport and Magherafelt DC among others to consider "whether the member state is required to designate a new authority to be consulted, seperate from an independent of the first".
The Department has indicated that it will await the final decision before commenting further.
